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(No Model.) 3-SheetsS11eet 1. 1 P. H RICHARDS.

REGISTER FOR GRAIN WBIGHERS. No. 447,719. Patented Mar. 3,1891.

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(No Model.) FLH. RICHARDS.

REGISTER FOR GRAIN WEIGHERS.

N0. 447,719. Patented Mar. 3,1891.

(No Model.) v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. P. H. RICHARDS.

REGISTER FOR GRAIN WEIGHERS.

No. 447,719. Patented Mar. 3,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS .ll. RICHARDS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE PRATT &XYllITNEY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

REGISTER FOR GRAIN-WEiGHERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,719, dated March 8,1891.

Application filed September 20, 1890 Serial No. 366,631. (No model.)

To aZZ "whom it may cancer/t;

Be itknown that I, FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRegisters for GrainlVeighers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to register apparaxo' tus for registering themovements of machine elements, and more especially the scalebeammovements of grain-weighin g machines.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is an end elevation of registering apparatus shown inconnection with portions of a grain-weigher and connected forregistering the vertical movements of the scale-beam. Fig. 2 is a planview of the registering apparatus and acces- 2o sory parts shown inFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. d is a plan viewdrawn on an enlarged scale and having the upper portions of theregister-case and ratchet-case broken away to better show the inclosedde- 2 5 tails. Fig. 5 is a front view with the front plate removed forshowing the details in the register-case. Fig. 6 is a front view of theratchet-case and lever with the ratchet-case cover removed to show theactuating-pawls.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view in the line Ct at, Fig. 6, showing thepreferred construction of the lever at that point. Fig. 8 is a verticalsection in line 3 1 Fig. a, as seen from the right hand in said figure.Fig. 9 is a similar sec- 5 tion in line 00 00, Fig. 4.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, Figures 1, 2, and 3, my improved registering apparatusis shown ap- 4o plied to the grain-weigher of the type de scribed in theLetters Patent No. 142,7 24, granted to G. H. Cooley and F. H. Richards,December 16,1890; but it is equally applicable to grain-weighers ofother classes and also to other kinds of machines in which it isrequired to register reciprocating movements of some part of themachine. As shown herein, the supply-chute H is carried by the top plate5, which is supported on the frame- 5 0 work of the grain weighcr. Saidsupply chute thus constitutes a part of the frame work for carrying theoperative parts of the machine. .ltis furnished with knife-edges, as 24,for supporting the scale-beam B. For actuating the register from thescale-beam I pro- 5 5 vide said beam with a register actuating arm-as,for instance, the arm 4.05, which is fixed by screws 106 or otherwise tothe bucketcarrying arm 19 or to the shaft of the scalebe'ani. Theforward end of said arm L05 suitably engages the ratchet-arm of theregister, and thus on the rising of the scale-beam imparts to saidratchet-arm a rotary reciproeating movement, as herein more fullydescribed in connection with the diagrammatic view, Fig. 6.

The frame-work of the register consists of the register-case 4.07, whichis shown attached to the front wall of the chute H by means of cars 408,formed on said case and secured to said front wall by screws iOQ, andthe front plate 110 removably secured to the front of and closing theregister-case. Said front plate may be held in place by screws, asindicated in Fig. For convenience in asseinbling and disassembling themechanism, the front plate is formed in two parts divided at the lineall, the portion at the right hand of said line being provided with abearing 4:12 for the ratchet-shaft e13, whose rear end is jour- 8onaled, as indicated in Fig. 8 in abearing formed in the back plate slitof the register-case. Fixed on said shaft between its said bearings andwithin the register-case are two wheels 115 and 110, of which the firstwheel 4:15 is a spur-wheel meshing with the first registerwheel of theseries, the second wheel 5 .16, fixed on said shaft, being adetent-wheel engaged by the detent-pawl 4:17, that is pivoted at 4:18 ona pin fixed in the frame-work. This detent apparatus willbe understoodby comparison of Figs. 4, 5, and S of the drawings. For holding thedetent-pawl firmly in engagement with said detent-wheel a spring are isprovided, one end of which is set in engagement 5 with the pawl, asindicated in Fig. 5, the other end reacting against an abutment providedtherefor-as, for instance, the pin or stud 420, cut away, as indicatedin Figs. 1 and 5, to form a steady-pin standi 11g within end coils ofthe aforesaid spring 419. Said stud 420 and also the detent-pawl pivot418 are both preferably fixed in said front plate 410, whereby onremoval of the front plate all said details are removed together, thusfacilitating the assembling of the mechanism. The preferred means forfixing in place the wheels 415 and 416 on the ratchet-shaft is shown inFig. 8, where the hub of each wheel is bored to receive screw-pins, as421, whose straight and unthreaded portion 422 passes through the shaftand one side of said hub, the enlarged end of said pin being threaded toscrew into the other side of said hub.

The ratchet-arm 423 has formed thereon a ratchet-case 424, whose backplate 425, Fig. 8, has a bearing 439, fitting on the ratchet-shaft 413immediately forward of the shaftbearing 412, as best shown in Figs. 4and S. The front of the ratchet-case is tightly closed by theratchet-case cover 426, in whose middle part there is a bearing 427,fitting the outer end of saidratchet-shaft. Said outerbearing is formedon the inner side of the outwardly-projecting part 428 of saidratchetcase cover, as indicated in Fig. 8, where the ratchet-wheel 429is shown fixed on said shaft by means of its hub 430,and one of theaforesaid pins 421 passing through said shaft and hub, as in the case ofthe wheels 415 and 416, above described. It will be observed in Fig. 8that the pin 421, holding in place said ratchet-wheel, is outside of thefront line of the ratchet-case, so that when the ratchet-case cover isremoved said pin is readily accessible by means of a screw-driver inalignment therewith, whereby the pin and ratchet-wheel are readilyremovable. To remove the ratchetarm from the ratchet-shaft, theratchet-case cover 426 is first taken off, the pin 421 then unscrewedand taken out, and the ratchetwheel 429 next taken from its shaft, whensaid armwill be free to he slid forward oif from said shaft 413. Asindicated in Figs. 3 and 6, the ratchet-case is set eccentric to theratchet-shaft 413, so as to form a sufficient space at one side of theratchet-wheel for receiving the duplicate pawls 431 and 432, which arepivotally supported on pins 433 and 434, fixedintheback plate of saidratchet-case. For preven tin g und ue movement of the pawls away fromthe ratchet-wheel, stops 435 and 436 are provided for said pawls,respectively. The pawls 43 1 and 432 are similarly located, asindicated'in Fig. 6, relatively to the periphery of theratchet-wl1eel429, and are supposed to be of substantially similarconstruction and size, so that said pawls may change places and alsochange positions without affecting their operation. For this purpose thefront or working end 437 of the pawl has two faces, only one of whichbears von-the ratchet-wheel tooth, as shown in Fig. 6. When the pawlsare taken off, as required in cleaning the mechanism, either pawl may bereplaced in either position and either side first. Thisinterchangeability is found to be extremely perience as well asindicated by theory that the chances of failure of operation are verygreatly reduced by duplication of the pawls. For instance, if inordinary practice one of the pawls will fail to perform its work once ineach one thousand movements the probability that both would fail at thesame time would be only one in one thousand times one thousand, or onein amillion. for preventing as much as possible the sticking of thepawls on their pivots, they are in the first place freely fitted, and,second, the middle portion of the pawl is cut out, as at 438, Fig. 4,thus leaving two narrow bearings in contact with the pin, said bearingsbeing each much larger in diameter than in length. The ratchet mechanismcarried by the ratchet-arrn is thus inclosed in a closely-covered case,whereby access of dust is effectually prevented. The only free access tothe interior of said ratchet-case (and this the freedomof aworking-joint only) is through the working-space between the shaft 413and the bearing 439 of the back plate of the ratchet-case. This space,however, must bereached through the joint at 440, Figs. 4 and 8, so thatin practice the ratchet-case may be considered perfectly dust-proof.practical utility of this organization of the ratchet mechanism will beat once appreciated by those familiar with milling machinery and thewell-known penetrating'power of mill-dust.

The ratchet-arm is operated by the aforesaid arm 405, which engages inthe slot or mortise 441 of the ratchet-arm, as indicated in the generalviews, Figs. 1, 2, and 3. As indicated in Fig. 3, the upper surface ofsaid arm 405 is rounded where it bears against the under side of theratchet-arm 423, the under side of said arm 405 being there beveled toprevent clogging by grain accidentally thrown thereon. For the samepurpose, also, the guard-loop 442 of the ratchet-arm is beveled on theupper side, as indicated in' the sectional view, Fig. 7. of theratchet-arm during the operation of the mechanism corresponds, ofcourse, to the angle of the ratchet-teeth, being somewhat more than saidangle, as indicated, for instance, by the dotted radial lines 443 and444,.

Fig. 6.

As will be seen by comparison of Figs. 4 and 5, the first dial D of theset of registerdials D is located at one side of the ratchetshaft 413 asufficient distance, so that the proper character on said first dial maybe seen through the opening 460 in the front coverof the register-case.This arrangement The normal movement.

As a means The importance and IIO permits said dial to be readily seennotwithstanding the location of the ratchet-case 424,

which stands in front of one end of the register-case e07. The openingsetGO are closed bya glass plate 461, which is usually cemented to theinner side of the front plate no, as indicated by the darkened layeret62 in Fig. i, as will be readily understood without furtherdescription. Referring to and comparing Figs. 3 and 5, it will be seenthat in Fig. 3 the characters O, l, and 2 of the dials D D and D,respectively, are shown through said front-plate openings, so that inthis instance the register reads 12.

For carrying the regular disks or dials D, D and D, respectively, theback plate 414: has fixed thereon a series of suitable studs at 4.45,&5, and M5.

The spur-wheel iii"), which is fixed as aforesaid on the ratchet-shaf t413, meshes with the spur-wheel or pinion Htgthat is supported to turnfreely on the stud 4A5. Said pinion is provided with a driving-wheel1H7, which is of a well-known kind and form, and has one tooth orprojection 4:4:8 formed thereon for engaging the notches 4A9, (ten innumber,) that are formed in the driven wheel 450, carri ed on stud M5Said stud Mo also carries a driving-wheel i531, (similar to wheel M7,)having one tooth $52 formed thereon to engage the notches 450, that areformed in the driven wheel 45st, which wheel is similar to the wheel4.50 and is carried on the stud Ho In operating the register the firstdial D is moved forward intermit-tingly nine times before thedriving-wheel H7 engages the wheel 450 of the second dial. At the nextmovement of the dial D the second dial is turned forward uniformly withthe first dial. This cycle of operations is repeated nine times beforethe driving-wheel 4:51 of the second dial engages the driven wheel 454.of the third dial D to turn the same forward one division. Thesefeatures of operation, however, are well understood in the prior art,and will be obvious from the drawin withoutfurthe'r explanation.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section in linescxof l, and illustrates one methodof assembling the parts carried on the dial-supporting studs. As theparts are similarly assembled on all three of the studs 4A5, H5 and $45a description of one set of said parts will be sufficient for the clearunderstanding of all three sets, notwithstanding said sets are notexactly duplicates. Referring to Fig. 9, a sleeve 455 is shown bored toloosely fit the stud a lzi which stud is reduced in diameter for aportion of its length for the purpose of reducing the friction thereon.On said sleeve 455 are fitted thefigured dial D the toothed drivingwheel451, and the notched driven wheel e50. Suitable distance-rin gs, as 456,are provided to properly separate the said wheels. In practice, when theseveral parts are assembled on said sleeve and correctly adjustedcircumferentially thereof they are then soldered or pinned together, andthus held in their proper relative positions as if formed integral, and

it should be well understood that the said parts are not necessarilymade separate, but are so constructed only for the purpose offacilitating construction. Said sleeve and the several parts showncarried thereon may be formed integral, if this construction should inany case be preferred.

As shown in Figs. 33 and i, openings are formed in the front plate ilOof the case, so that one numeral on each of the figured disks D D, the,may be seen one at atime. Usually in practice the uppermost centralnumeral is the one seen. An indicator-pin ass), whose inner projectingend is pointed, as shown in Figs. i and G, is fixed in the ratchet-arm423, and two notches or suitable reference-lines, as e57 and 45s, areformed in the right-hand edge of the front plate ilO of the registercaseat points corresponding to the extreme upper and lower positions of thesaid ratchetarm. The said pin or pointer and the said notches areprovided so that at any time the positions of the parts contained andhidden in the ratchet-case may be judged by the posion of the saidpointer relative to the said notches.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim-- 1. In register mechanism,the combination, with the dial-actuating shaft projecting from theregister-case, of a ratchet-case, substantially as described, journaledon said shaft and connected for rotary reciprocating movement, theratchet-wheel fixed on the shaft within said case, two pawl-carryingpins fixed in said case at equal distances from said ratchetavheel, andtwo interchangeable gravity-pawls, substantially as described, carriedon said pins, whereby a certainty of operation and the correctassembling of the parts are attained.

2. In register mechanism, the combination, with the dial-actuating shaftprojecting from the register-case, of a ratchet-case, substantially asdescribed, journaled on said shaft and connected for rotaryreciprocating movement, the ratchet-wheel fixed on the shaft within saidcase, the pawl-carrying pin fixed in the case, the gravity-pawl carriedfreely on said pin and engaging the ratchet-wheel, and the stop limitingthe outward movement of the pawl to slightly clear the ratchet-wheeltooth on the return movement of the ratchetcase.

3. in registermechanism, the combination, with the dial'actuating shaftprojecting outside of the register-case, of the register-case journaledon said shaft and having a cover also j ournaled on said shaft, saidcover having a projecting hub-case 4:28, the ratchet wheel 429 on saidshaft within said case and having its hub projecting beyond the front ofthe ratchet-case within said hub-case, and a pin, substantially asdescribed, passing through the ratchet-wheel hub and engaging saidshaft, said pin being located beyond the front line of the ratchetcasewhen the ratch- IIO et-casecover is removed, whereby the pin isaccessible for removal, substantially as setv forth.

4. In register mechanism, the combination; with a register-case and aratchet case, of a dial-actuating shaft extending into both said cases,a portion of the shaft intermediate thereto being covered by aprojecting hub, as412,whereby access of dust to the interior of the saidcases through the working-joint 440 is prevented, substantially as setforth.

5. In register mechanism, the combination, with a register case,substantially as described, of the ratchet-shaft having fixed thereon adetent-wheelwithin the register

